Forgive

Vala snuck a glance at Daniel out of the corner of her eye.

Yep - he was still mad at her. She could tell by the frown on his face, and how he kept his attention on the road before them. Never once did his gaze flick her direction.

Vala sighed and returned to looking out the window.

She hadn't meant to do it. She had just been trying to stop the boredom. It hadn't been her intention for Daniel's semi-new laptop to get broken in the process.

But it had, and Daniel had barely spoken to her since.

It was one thing when he would get loud. Vala could deal with a shouting, ranting, and raving Daniel. She could just shout right back. They would argue at very high volumes for most of the day, maybe even a few days. Doors would get slammed and, on occasion, a few things would be thrown. It always ended in some rather spectacular...stress relief.

But Daniel being angry AND quiet was a totally different animal. It made her feel horribly guilty. Which, she supposed, was the point of him being so quiet. It taught her a better lesson... or something. She really hated it though.

Finally the silence in the truck became too stifling for her.

"Can we talk about this?" Vala asked quietly, turning to look at Daniel.

His eyes never left the road. "No."

"Why not, Daniel?" She whined. Vala twisted a strand of hair from one of her pigtails around her finger. Silence was her only answer, and it made her fidget.

"I said I was sorry." She pouted after a moment, and was semi-relieved when he looked at her.

"I know." Daniel sighed.

"Then why are you still mad at me?" Vala went to move closer to him, but Daniel shook his head at the action. She stopped, and pouted again.

"I'm not mad..." He sighed again. "Just...disappointed."

"Oh." Vala replied. She scooted back over to the passenger window. Now she felt more guilty than before. She had disappointed her Daniel. She looked out the window once more, and sighed again.

The silence lasted a while before Vala spoke again.

"I'm hungry."

Daniel glanced at her a moment. "What do you want?" He asked quietly as he returned his gaze back to the road.

"I don't know." Vala shrugged. "Maybe we can stop at the store when we get into town. We could get stuff to make spaghetti..." Vala's eyes lit up, and she smiled. "Or, how about lasagna?" It was one of Daniel's favorite meals.

"Sure." Daniel shrugged, and Vala's smile dropped. There was a tension between them, and she didn't like it. There had to be some way to make him forgive her.

Vala scooted to the middle of the seat, and flicked on the radio.

"Vala..." Daniel rubbed his forehead wearily. "I have a headache..."

"I'll keep it low. Promise." Vala answered, and then smiled when she found a song she liked. She started to bounce in her seat to the music.

Several songs played, and each one had Vala either dancing in place or singing along.

Daniel glanced at her after a while, and couldn't help the small smile that came to his lips. He couldn't tell if she was actually trying to make him feel better, or just being completely random. Either way, she was cute doing it.

Vala caught his smile, and shook her finger at him.

"Ah, ah! No smiling from you." She huffed while still grooving to the music. "You're supposed to be pouting."

"I AM NOT pouting." Daniel laughed in disbelief.

"Sure you are." Vala shrugged as she moved to change the station. "You're in mourning for your laptop which was accidentally broken by this beautiful woman whom you love more than a crumby piece of technology anyway." She winked playfully at Daniel, whose mouth was hanging open at her statement. "I understand. But pouters are NOT allowed to smile."

Daniel gave Vala a 'PUH-LEASE' look, and was about to retort. But Vala found a song she liked, and cranked up the volume. He tried to speak over it, but Vala just sang along to the lyrics, seeming to ignore him. She danced and sang, and made dramatic faces to the words.

Daniel couldn't fight the grin anymore.

"Come here." He pulled her close to his side as they came to stop at a red light.

He moved in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. When he finished there, Daniel placed another on Vala's forehead.

"It's impossible to stay upset with you."

"I really am sorry, Daniel." Vala sighed as she rested her head against his neck.

"Yeah..." Daniel rubbed her arm. "I think I can forgive you over a plate of lasagna."

Vala smiled. She knew it would get him.

A/N: I'm thinking of continuing this into the next chapter...a complement to this chapter, but also a good litte stand alone. What do ya'll think?